Stadler builds new plant in St.Margrethen

2018/07/05 15:10Heike Schrader, SGBA/ Café Europe

Stadler Rail is moving its production plant for double-decker trains from Altenrhein to neighbouring St.Margrethen. The rail vehicles manufacturer is investing 86 million Swiss francs in the new plant, which demonstrates its commitment to Switzerland.

(Image credit: Stadler Rail)

Stadler Rail is building its new centre of expertise for double-decker trains on the Altfeld site close to St.Margrethen train station. The new plant will have a production and warehousing facility covering 35,000 square metres, as well as 5,000 square metres of offices and meeting rooms, announced the company in a statement. Construction work will continue until the start of 2020, but the company expects to move into the first halls at the end of 2019.

Of its 86-million-franc investment in the new site, the Thurgau rail vehicles manufacturer explained that the original plant in neighbouring Altenrhein, built in 1924 for the Dornier-Werke, does not offer optimal production possibilities. The Altenrhein plant currently has 1,000 staff, who produce KISS trains, trams, metre-gauge rail vehicles and passenger coaches. It is complemented by the engineering department, with its 250 highly qualified employees, which provides services for the entire Stadler group.

With its investment, the company from the St.GallenBodenseeArea is demonstrating its commitment to Switzerland. “It shows that we believe in Switzerland as a business location and continue to defend it, even in difficult times,” commented Chairman of the Board of Directors Peter Spuhler in the statement published to celebrate the ground breaking on Wednesday.

Benedikt Würth, member of the cantonal government of St.Gallen, expects the investment to bring economic impetus for the region. "The company’s rapid growth initially brought new life to the industrial area of Altenrhein. The next chapter is now being written in St.Margrethen,” he commented.

Stadler’s head office in Bussnang in the canton of Thurgau, centre of expertise for bogies in Winterthur and commissioning centre in Erlen in the canton of Thurgau are not affected by the investment. Detailed manufacturing of car bodies will continue to be carried out in Altenrhein by up to 70 employees.